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Ascension
Ascension is the process by which a mortal, corporeal entity sheds it's physical existence to become a being of pure energy on a 'Higher Plane' and therefore attain god-like power and knowledge. Some Xenoarchaeologists believe that this may have been the fate of at least some members of the Atlantean Races. Ascension can be achieved in three ways: Meditation and extensive scholarship into the spirtual and the arcane, once a state of spiritual purity and perfection is reached an entity may Ascend. This is theorised to have occured to several humans in Earth's history, including Jesus of Nazareth, Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama and the Prophet Muhammed. All of these individuals attained a state of grace and pefection and Ascended. This is most obviously felt with the Buddha. This is also the possible fate of several Society agents and Grandmasters, including the famous Jerian whose body was never recovered after his death fighting a Class Four Demon at the age of 83. Evolution of a species to a point where Ascension naturally occurs. This sometimes coincides with a spiritual and technological evolution as well as a biological evolution. One theorised example is that of a species reaching the culmination of it's technological and spiritual evolution, known as The Singularity. Shortly after this event occurs the entire civilization attains the spirtual and technological level required to create machines to Ascend individuals. The case of the mythical Atlantis may be a case of this, where the Ascension Machines may have overloaded once Ascension was completed, thereby destroying the city. The third way to Ascend is if an already Ascended Being influences events in this Plane to Ascend individuals or entire races which it deems worthy, due to the ammount of effort this would require it is most likely that it would be a joint decision of several Ascended Beings. The Aeil Deos are a notable example of Ascended Beings. They are the first Ascended Race to have overtly made contact with the 'Younger' Races of the Galaxy, those that have not Ascended. The Aeil Deos are notable for their use of highly advanced technological and spiritual methods to cause the Genocide of Xin'Ta'Fax in order to 'de-Ascend' back into corporeal forms. The fate of the souls of the deceased inhabitants of the Xin'Ta'Faxi worlds is unknown, there are two prominent theories: one is that the Aeil Deos Ascended them to take their place. The second is that they used the souls in order to de-Ascend thereby using up their Psychic Energy and destroying them. The Aeil Deos have been recorded as saying that the Higher Planes are insufferably boring. Ascended Beings can increase their power by being worshipped by non-Ascended Beings. This is achieved via absorbing the faith of worshippers, it is unknown how many, if any, of the universe's myriad faiths where created by Ascended Beings to draw power from worshippers, though the most obvious example is the Pre-Unification Xin'Ta'Faxi Polytheistic Religion which worshipped the Aeil Deos and it's modern derivative, the Monotheistic Church of the Guardian. Both religions are now extinct. Another example of Ascended Beings may be the 'Younger Gods of Aerin' whom the Terelains worship as part of the Pact of Renal. The Terelains claim that their Patriarch summoned the Younger Gods to their world in order to battle another set of gods, possibly Ascended Beings, known as the Old Ones. The Terelains worship the Younger Gods in thanks for their aid, the Faith Enegy is supposedly being used to heal the Younger Gods after the War in Heaven and revive those of their number that where killed. Ascension has been noted throughout Terelain history, due to their life-spans Terelains are far more likely than any other species to achieve the enlightened state required for Ascension. This, coupled with the fact that they where the first modern species to attain space travel, has allowed the Terelains to claim the title of Elder Race, calling all other races but the extinct Gillorians and the planet-bound Dragons the Younger Races, this is quite similar to the way in which Ascended Beings refer to mortal beings of this Plane, this may be because of the long Terelains association with the Ascended. The depth and origin of this bond has not been explored in depth but several Terelain scholars believe that their race is far older than they at first thought... List of Ascended Beings and Races (Theoretical) Atlanteans - Ancient Precursor Civilization that vanished 550,000 years ago. Possibly Ascended to avoid the extinction of their race or the Ascension of the Atlanteans caused the fall of their civilization. (Atlanteans may be a collective term for three distinct species) Old Ones - Original gods of the Terelain people and ancient rulers of the planet Aerin. Possibly Ascended Beings that masqueraded as gods, possibly an extrememly poweful race that Ascended to escape the Wars in Heaven of Terelain Pre-History. Younger Gods - Ascended Beings in opposition of the Old Ones in the Terelain Mythologies, again they may have been already-Ascended at the time of the Wars in Heaven or Ascended soon after to pursue the Old Ones. Aeil Deos - Precursors to the Xin'Ta'Faxi and Sithrimni Races, de-Ascended to corporeal forms resulting in the near-extinction of the Xin'Ta'Faxi. Terel the Eternal - Terelain Patriarch and their First King, either Ascended or partially-Ascended Being. Vanished in early Terelain history after the death of his wife, the Terelain Matriarch, Tara. Stories of Terel's wisdom and power suggest he was at least partially Ascended or perhaps a de-Ascended Being. Meina Telir - First Archniath of the Guardian, supposedly Ascended upon death by The Guardian. Taius the Unifier - Ancient Xin'Ta'Faxi King who waged the Wars of Unification and founded the Xin'Ta'Faxi Imperium. Supposedly Ascended upon his death by The Guardian. The Mind of Sithrim - due to it's Transcendental, Pychic-Energy based nature The Mind may qualify as an Ascended Entity though this is open to dispute as it still remains bound to physical entities.